EL looks to impose drivers’ ed. in-car fee

BY JEFF HORVATH
Times-Shamrock Writer

The Elk Lake School Board discussed publicly for the first time on Wednesday, Aug. 5, changes to the school’s drivers education program that will impose a $200 fee for students looking to participate in the in-car portion of the class.

While the board put off official action on the issue until September’s meeting, Superintendent Kenneth Cuomo outlined the plan, which is designed to help save the drivers education program at Elk Lake, on Wednesday.

“While we have never charged a fee for drivers ed in the past,” said Cuomo, “maintaining this program is quite an expensive endeavor and we are currently in a different financial situation than we have seen in the past.”

Regarding expenses, Cuomo was referring to the cost of the drivers ed car, the salary of the instructor, and the insurance costs, all of which Elk Lake is directly responsible for covering.

Cuomo also noted that most, if not all, surrounding schools have already eliminated drivers training because of the general costs associated with the program.

In order to avoid this fate Elk Lake will likely ask students to help shoulder some of the financial burden. The proposed plan introduced on Wednesday would require students to pay a $200 fee to participate in the in-car portion of the class. Students who receive reduced lunch would have to pay $100, and students who receive free lunch would be exempt from paying.

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve come to this point,” Cuomo said, “but we definitely see this as a good compromise and a way for us to continue to maintain what is now a model program.”

Cuomo also spoke to the fact that certain insurance companies offer a reduced rate to families of young drivers who complete the drivers education course, meaning that there may be financial incentives to finance the course on an individual level. Under these circumstances the program might actually end up paying for itself.

In any event, the board will revisit this issue and take official action at a later meeting.

In other business, the board voted on Wednesday to make a $50,000 substantial completion payment to Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), the company that oversaw the massive energy upgrades that took place at Elk Lake throughout the last year. Elk Lake is withholding $53,000 for work that still needs to be done to their satisfaction. The energy project entailed, in part, switching to natural gas, something they did successfully in February. Cuomo also added that a representative from JCI will be in attendance at the Sept. 19 board meeting to outline exactly how much the project has saved the district thus far.

During the SCCTC portion of the meeting the board heard from guest Peter Quigg. Quigg, who is the President of the Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains, was recently named advisory committee member of the year at the Pennsylvania Career & Technical Education Conference (PA-CTEC) awards dinner held on June 16.

SCCTC Executive Director Alice Davis nominated Quigg for the award and thanked him, referring to his support as a member of the Community Foundation as “a blessing.”

In return, Quigg thanked the board, saying, “We really appreciated being recognized at the conference, as it was truly an honor for the Community Foundation.”

The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains works, in part, to provide scholarships and tuition assistance to students of the SCCTC and other area organizations. They are a non-profit institution.

Elk Lake transferred $30,000 from their general fund to their athletic fund. The SCCTC also transferred $30,000 from their general fund to the house account so that students can get a start on the new housing project as soon as possible.

A $90,333 payment to TRS roofing was approved. TRS did the re-roofing work on at the elementary.

The board approved the purchase of a new photocopier from Jay’s Business Systems through costar for $9,538.

The board also voted to post an elementary special education position for the partial hospitalization room. The position is a sixth grade special education position, but it was explicitly noted that the applicant will need to be “qualified to teach middle level content” to be considered.

During the Elk Lake portion of the meeting, professional employee contracts were extended to Ashley Anderson and Jessica Sekely, both of whom have accrued three years of service. The SCCTC extended professional employee contracts to Ray Ingaglio and James Caswell.

The board voted to approve John Warnero for a 10-month assistant principal position at a salary of $69,372. The new position replaces Elk Lake’s dean of students’ position.

Crystal Nassar was approved for a nine-month secretary/ receptionist position at a rate of $16.91.

The board approved the transfer of maintenance worker Mike Girjatowicz from third shift to first shift, and approved the hire of Michelle Collet for the vacant, full-time third shift maintenance position.

With regret, the board accepted the resignations of Jill Chocallo, who is vacating the special education position in the partial hospitalization room that the board voted to advertise, and A.J. Lunger, who resigned as JV boys assistant basketball coach.

The board approved Marie Moore for a one year compensation plan.

A motion on all above items pertaining to the Elk Lake agenda was made by board member Chuck Place and seconded by board member Harold Bender. The motion passed unanimously with Donica McGee, Eric Emmerich, and Matthew Curley not in attendance.

A motion on all above items pertaining to the SCCTC agenda was made by board member Arden Tewksbury and seconded by Harold Bender. The motion also passed unanimously.

The Elk Lake School Board meets again on August 20.